Poll pact: ball in Trinamool’s
courtKolkata, February 21
AICC’s decision to allow the state Congress to negotiate with the Trinamool Congress has brightened the hope of formulating a new poll strategy against the CPM-led Left government in Bengal.

Saifuddin floats partyKolkata, February 21
Expelled CPM leader Saifuddin Chowdhury today launched a new political outfit — ‘Party for Democratic Socialism’ (PDS) — with a number of dissident Marxist leaders to provide a “Left democratic, secular alternative” in the ensuing state Assembly elections.

Bhuj returning to normalBhuj, February 21
Life is slowly returning to normal in Gujarat, where an earthquake killed at least 30,000 persons and rendered hundreds and thousands homeless.

Kandla leads in rubble removalGandhidam, February 21
This port town of the Kandla has become the first place in the quake-affected areas of Gujarat where the mammoth exercise of removal of rubble of the damaged buildings has begun on a war footing. Bulldozers and other heavy machinery have been engaged to complete the work.

SC: identification parade not
mustNew Delhi, February 21
A Division Bench of the Supreme Court has ruled that not holding the identification parade of an accused involved in a terrorist activity, would not be fatal to the prosecution if the accused had already been identified in the court during the trial.

9 poets get Akademi
awardsNew Delhi, February 21
Nine poets, who lyricised revolution, folklore, human life and the tragedy of terrorism in their works, were among 21 litterateurs who were yesterday presented the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2000.

Electronic media shun MP
HouseBhopal, February 21
Soon after presenting the budget estimates for 2001-2002 in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly yesterday, Finance Minister Ajay Mushran strolled into the committee room for a customary briefing to the media.

Cong rebel MLA resigns Invites UP CM to seek electionLucknow, February 21
The drama of Chhattisgarh is being repeated in UP. Chief Minister Rajnath Singh is replying in the same manner in which Ajit Jogi sent shockwaves to the
BJP. This time Congress MLA and state General Secretary, Mr Surendra Nath
Awasthi, a close lieutenant of late Jitendra Prasada, resigned yesterday from Congress party and MLA-ship to make way for Rajnath Singh to acquire a seat in the state Assembly.

Cong to hold kisan rally on Feb 25New Delhi, February 21
Expressing concern over ‘the crisis in agriculture,’ Congress President Sonia Gandhi yesterday said the party would hold a farmers rally in Delhi on February 25.

Controlled drugs being ‘overused’New Delhi, February 21
The widespread overuse of controlled drugs such as benzodiazepines and various amphetamine type stimulants to treat psychological problems caused by social pressures in gaining acceptance, warns the International Narcotics Control Board
(INCB).

Workshop on ‘wonder plant’New Delhi, February 21Seabuckthorn, a multi-utility plant with a genetic resource in India is likely to get long overdue attention. This assurance was given by Mrs Shailaja
Chandra, Secretary, Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on the opening day of an international workshop on seabuckthorn here yesterday.

A marriage in jailJaipur, February 21
Perhaps for the first time in this country, a prisoner has entered into wedlock at
Jaipur. Lifer Rajesh married Archna and both performed all rituals at the groom’s home — Sampurnanand Khula Bandi Sudhar Grih — which is part of Jaipur Central Jail.

Thousands affected by layoff: surveyNew Delhi, February 21
For a country that boasts of strict labour laws, more than 60,000 workers were affected by closures, retrenchment and layoff during 1998, a survey by the Labour Bureau of the Labour Ministry released here yesterday says.

Centre to tap HP’s hydel potentialNew Delhi, February 21
The Centre will actively associate reputed international power generation agencies to harness the 15,000 mw hydroelectric potential of Himachal
Pradesh. This was decided at a meeting between the Union Power

Shimla to have centre
for disabledNew Delhi, February 21
Shimla will soon have a district centre to provide comprehensive rehabilitation services to the disabled. The centre is among the 107 proposed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment as per the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. The ministry had also proposed the setting up of six composite regional
centres.

Garden festival begins tomorrowNew Delhi, February 21
The “Garden of the Orient” is the theme of the 14th Garden Tourism Festival being organised by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development
Corporation.

No Hollywood film with Hrithik New Delhi, February 21
Where did Hrithik Roshan, Bollywood’s current rage, take his first dancing lessons? In the lap of his grandmother. And this did not happen in
Mumbai, as many would think, but in Delhi where his father Rakesh Roshan spent a number of years.

Shivaji ‘returns’ to Agra FortAgra, February
21
Chhatrapati Shivaji has “resurfaced” in the historical Agra Fort, more than three centuries after he undertook one of the most daring escapades during the Mughal rule. An imposing statue of the Maratha ruler today stands tall in front of the fort’s Amar Singh Gate, through which the ostentatious processions of Aurangzeb and his successors passed during the Mughal rule in India.

J&K school kids meet PMNew Delhi, February 21
Kashmiri schoolchildren in the age group of 11 to 17 years called on the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari
Vajpayee, here today.

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee with Kashmiri children at his residence in New Delhi on Wednesday.
— PTI photo

Three held for blackmailingNew Delhi, February 21
Monohar (80), alias Baba, and his two accomplices were arrested for allegedly blackmailing a minor girl in the Anandparbat area of North Delhi here yesterday.

Kolkata, February 21
AICC’s decision to allow the state Congress to negotiate with the Trinamool Congress has brightened the hope of formulating a new poll strategy against the CPM-led Left government in Bengal.

But since the Congress will not be a party to Ms Mamata Banerjee’s ‘‘anti-CPM mahajot’’ in which BJP is a partner, there might some electoral understanding directly between the TMC and the Congress and the proposal for ‘‘one is to one fight’’ against the CPM will automatically be dropped.

On the other hand, since there might not be a whole-hearted acceptance of Ms Banerjee to the AICC proposal, a large number of Congressmen may join hands with her, defying the leadership’s directive, which will result in another split in the party.

The pro-mahajot loyalists of the TMC and the Congress camps, however, hope the step will ensure bright prospects for them to form a government in Bengal after the forthcoming state Assembly elections.

Congress leaders like Mr A.B.A. Ghani Khan Chowdhury and Mr Saugata Roy, MLA, who will be the main negotiators with the TMC, feel their candidates will have an easy win in those seats where there will be a triangular fight, involving the Congress, the CPM and the BJP.

Similarly, the TMC will get more seats with the support of the Congress in the direct contest between the TMC and the Left Front candidates. But everything now depends what stand the TMC takes towards the Congress on electoral understanding without involving the BJP.

BJP national leadership has already given an assurance that it will not stand in the way of making an understanding between the TMC and the Congress as they are convinced it is not possible for the TMC and the BJP alone to fight the CPM out of power and in Bengal the Congress and the TMC have been the vital force against the CPM and it is necessary for these parties to come together to dislodge the CPM-led government from power.

But BJP’s state committee will want TMC’s support against the CPM as well as the Congress in those seats as per electoral alliance among themselves on which both parties fought in the last municipal elections.

Some leaders of the state Congress, however, do not want to give any importance to the AICC’s present directives towards making an understanding with the TMC. They firmly believe that an understanding between the Congress and the TMC without getting other anti-CPM parties involved, will not ultimately click and Ms Mamata Banerjee will also not openly support the move on political grounds.

Hence, a large number of the Congressmen (mostly sitting MLAs) will, for their survival have to join hands with the TMC directly as they are convinced without TMC’s support it will be impossible for them to win the elections. S.G.

Kolkata, February 21
Expelled CPM leader Saifuddin Chowdhury today launched a new political outfit — ‘Party for Democratic Socialism’ (PDS) — with a number of dissident Marxist leaders to provide a “Left democratic, secular alternative” in the ensuing state Assembly elections.

A number of rebel CPM leaders, including party’s former South 24-Parganas district secretary Samir Putatunda, who resigned on Monday, and two sitting MLAs — Tapati Saha and Mojammel Haque — joined the new party floated at a political convention.

Mr Chowdhury, was elected PDS president and Mr Putatunda its general secretary. A nine-member presidium and 11-member steering committee were elected at the convention. A 58-member state committee was also formed, but only 47 names were cleared in the convention.

Explaining the rationale of forming a new party, Mr Chowdhury said it had become “impossible” to work for the people within the CPM which pursued “wrong” policies on various issues, besides, “stifling the voice of dissidence”.
PTI

Bhuj, February 21
Life is slowly returning to normal in Gujarat, where an earthquake killed at least 30,000 persons and rendered hundreds and thousands homeless.

Those who had fled after their houses were damaged in the quake have started coming back. Several shops have also come up.

In Bhuj, one of the worst affected towns, residents said they were recovering from the shock and piecing together their lives.

At most places, residents are seen digging for their belongings in the debris of their collapsed houses.

“The situation is returning to normal. Slowly, we are coping up. But there is no place for us to live. Our houses have been damaged but we have to live,” said Kirti Thakkar, a villager.

Local markets have also started bustling with activity.

“Earlier for a week or two people were not coming and there was nobody to be seen. But now slowly people are returning to normalcy. We have also started selling things. People are turning to buy things. We are selling our goods at the same rate as we had bought them,” said Dani Bhai, a shopkeeper.

State officials said rescue operations were more or less over and now the focus was on rebuilding the infrastructure and helping restore the confidence of people.

A makeshift bank has also started functioning in the town.

“We have just started with the primary banking. Avanced banking will take a few more days. But within a couple of days we are going to finalise an alternative premises so that full fledged operation can take place,” said Vijay Pandya, a bank official.

Meanwhile, a four-member delegation of the Indian caucus, an Indian lobby of Congressmen in the USA, called on state Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel on Monday to make recommendations to the World Bank for financial aid.
ANI

Gandhidam, February 21
This port town of the Kandla has become the first place in the quake-affected areas of Gujarat where the mammoth exercise of removal of rubble of the damaged buildings has begun on a war footing. Bulldozers and other heavy machinery have been engaged to complete the work. The building which had been declared unsafe are also being demolished. A similar exercise is going on in the neighbouring Kandla, Adipur, and Gopalpura towns.

Rough estimates projected by the Kandla Port Trust (KPT) say that around 3 lakh tonnes of rubble would have to be removed from the place to allow fresh construction to begin. A survey of the building which developed cracks is being done by experts. A proposal to relocate the town is being explored, but no decision in this regard had been taken yet.

Officials supervising the work said 184 multi-storeyed buildings had totally collapsed and several other structures had suffered damage by the tremors. The KPT has given the contract of demolition of the damaged buildings and removal of rubble to private parties at the rate of Rs 75 per tonne. The rubble is being dumped in a low-lying open area on way to the Kandla port. The area would be then developed as a parking lot for trucks.

On the other hand, the removal of the rubble of the collapsed houses in Anjar, Bhuj , Bhachau and Rapar is going at a slow pace. An officer of the 237 Engineering Regiment, who is supervising the job in Anjar, lamented that there were no clear instructions about the removal of rubble lying along the roadsides. “We have just cleared the lanes for movement of relief material and machinery”.

In Rapar the rubble is lying along the roads. An official of the Haryana Government supervising the relief work in a village of Rapar taluka said the Gujarat Government would decide whether the survivors be rehabilitated at the same place or relocated.

In Bhuj, heaps of rubble in the old walled city are lying. Only the lanes for movement of traffic had been cleared. The 12 Engineer Regiment of the Army is supervising the operation of removal of valuables and cash from collapsed buildings of banks. Reports said the cash and valuables in 21 banks in Bhuj had been retrieved.

New Delhi, February 21
A Division Bench of the Supreme Court has ruled that not holding the identification parade of an accused involved in a terrorist activity, would not be fatal to the prosecution if the accused had already been identified in the court during the trial.

The court said the purpose of an identification parade is only to satisfy the investigation authorities that the suspect is the actual person whom the witnesses had seen while committing the crime.

The judges delivered the ruling while upholding the judgement of the TADA designated court, Karnal, at Ambala convicting and awarding the sentence of life imprisonment to appellant Daya Singh for killing four relatives of a state legislator, Dr Harnam Singh, at Kurukshetra on April 9, 1988.

The Bench comprising Mr Justice M.B. Shah and Mr Justice K.G. Balakrishnan noted in its judgment that the terrorist attack of Daya Singh and 14 others resulting in the death of four relatives of the legislator, including his son, daughter-in-law, son of his brother-in-law and one of the assailants.

The special court acquitted the other 14 accused in the case but convicted Daya Singh for various offences, including Sections 3 and 5 of the terrorist and disruptive activities (prevention) Act, 1987, and the Penal Code.

“It is to be borne in mind that the purpose of test identification is to have corroboration to the evidence of the eyewitnesses in the form of earlier identification and that substantive evidence of a witness is the evidence in the court. If that evidence is found to be reliable then absence of corroboration by the test identification would not be in any way material,” the judges stated.

Delivering the judgment for the bench, Mr Justice Shah said that where reasons for gaining an enduring impression of the identity on the mind and memory of the witnesses are brought on record, it is no use to magnify the theoretical possibilities and arrive at a conclusion.

Mr Justice Shah pointed out that in such cases, not holding of identification parade was not fatal to the case and noted that in the instant case that the accused himself had refused to participate in the identification parade and there was no fault of the investigation officer.

The apex court dismissed the cross-appeals of both Daya Singh against his conviction and that of the state against the acquittal of the 14 other accused.

New Delhi, February 21
Nine poets, who lyricised revolution, folklore, human life and the tragedy of terrorism in their works, were among 21 litterateurs who were yesterday presented the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2000.

Bhopal, February 21
Soon after presenting the budget estimates for 2001-2002 in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly yesterday, Finance Minister Ajay Mushran strolled into the committee room for a customary briefing to the media.

Reporters of the print media were present in full strength. However, what probably gave an odd feeling to Mr Mushran was the absence of members of the electronic media, which for some time has been boycotting the happenings inside the Assembly building in protest against the “highhanded” attitude of the Speaker, Mr Shreenivas Tiwari, towards its representatives.

Mr Mushran did not have his heart in the briefing. All questions from reporters were passed on by him to officials of the Finance Department. The officials explained that he was not keeping well.

A little later, the Finance Minister held a briefing exclusively for the electronic media at Vallabh Bhavan (State Secretariat), near the Assembly building, where he was as effusive as ever.

The boycott appears to have started affecting the image-conscious politicians of Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Minister, Mr Digvijay Singh, for instance, holds his press conferences in the Assembly building itself during the session. Early last month, he was to announce his government’s decision to usher in “gram swaraj” (village self-government) in the state from the Republic Day. When he came to know that the electronic media would not be present in the Assembly, he asked his staff to shift the venue to a public sector hotel where the Chief Minister drove from the Assembly to address the press conference.

Little wonder, then, that the AICC General Secretary, Ms Mohsina Kidwai, who has been appointed in charge of Madhya Pradesh Congress affairs, was perturbed when representatives of the electronic media submitted to her a letter, addressed to Ms Sonia Gandhi, saying that they would “contemplate boycotting all programmes of the Congress party” if the present impasse continued.

Following a communication from electronic media representatives in Bhopal last December, Ms Sonia Gandhi had reportedly asked Mr Digvijay Singh to sort out the matter between the mediapersons and the Speaker. But Mr Digvijay Singh’s efforts had failed to bring about any change in Mr Tiwari’s attitude. Now Ms Kidwai has asked the mediapersons to give her some time to “discipline” Mr Tiwari.

Lucknow, February 21
The drama of Chhattisgarh is being repeated in UP. Chief Minister Rajnath Singh is replying in the same manner in which Ajit Jogi sent shockwaves to the BJP. This time Congress MLA and state General Secretary, Mr Surendra Nath Awasthi, a close lieutenant of late Jitendra Prasada, resigned yesterday from Congress party and MLA-ship to make way for Rajnath Singh to acquire a seat in the state Assembly.

Mr Awasthi, in a sudden move yesterday, tendered his resignation to the Speaker, Mr Kesri Nath Tripathi from his constituency Hydergarh (Bara Banki) which was accepted immediately. Mr Rajnath Singh is likely to contest from Hydergarh as he has to become a member of either House of the legislature within six months from the date he assumed charge of office, which is expiring on May 27.

Mr Awasthi said at a crowded Press conference: “We are fighting for inner-party democracy under the leadership of Jitendra Prasada but after his death no change was visible. Decision to quit the party is not a sudden development. The formation of the Congress Working Committee was a breaking point where party President Sonia Gandhi sidelined devoted workers and preferred to nominate defectors and sycophants in the CWC. This all was very suffocating.

Reacting the resignation of Mr Awasthi, a spokesperson of the Pradesh Congress Committee, Mr Akhilesh Pratap Singh, said: “We expelled Mr Awasthi for six years from the party yesterday as he indulged in anti-activities.”

“I see a dark future of the Congress and invite Mr Rajnath Singh to secure election on the seat vacated by me. Though I did not resign at his behest but I will be happy in case he accepts my offer,” he remarked.

On the other hand people close to the CM vouch he has already taken too long to decide on a constituency. “He has at least five constituencies in mind. But he is unable to finalise from where he should contest,” said a close aide. It is mandatory for the CM to be member of either the Assembly or Council within six months of taking charge. Going by this, Rajnath has time till May 27.

There are at least five constituencies for the CM to choose from. These are: Chaanda, Mirzapur, Thakurdwara, Khurja and Saidabad. Byelection is expected only in Saidabad while in the others the incumbent will have to vacate the seat for the CM.

New Delhi, February 21
Expressing concern over ‘the crisis in agriculture,’ Congress President Sonia Gandhi yesterday said the party would hold a farmers rally in Delhi on February 25.

Addressing the members at the general body meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party today, Mrs Gandhi said while the farmers had produced enough to feed the country, the NDA government did not have the coherence or imagination to move the produce from fields to ration shops.

She said on the one hand, foodgrains accumulated in government stocks and farmers had been left with unsold surpluses, on the other hand, the consumers were finding the PDS prices beyond their reach. The crisis was being talked about but nothing was being done, she said.

Referring to the tragedy in Gujarat, she urged the members to generously donate to the Rajiv Gandhi National Relief and Welfare Trust to meet the calamity.

Accusing the NDA government of incompetence in handling the bilateral negotiations under the WTO agreement, she said if the government did not use the built-in safeguard the fault lies not with the WTO but with the NDA government. She said the government had already weakened the country’s solidarity with developing countries of the Group of 7.

She charged the government with being confused regarding its policies on Jammu and Kashmir. The ministries were working at cross-purposes, interested more in scoring debating points than combating cross-border terrorism, she alleged.

The ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir had remained a military tactic, not a political or a diplomatic strategy, Mrs Gandhi said.

New Delhi, February 21
The widespread overuse of controlled drugs such as benzodiazepines and various amphetamine type stimulants to treat psychological problems caused by social pressures in gaining acceptance, warns the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

The INCB in its annual report released here yesterday, by UNDCP Regional Representative, Ms Renate Ehmer, warns about the growing problem of over-consumption of controlled drugs (narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) with responsibility evenly spread among the government authorities, health-care professionals, pharmaceutical companies and the consumers, the “patients”, themselves.

“Easy availability leads to over-consumption of such (psychotropic) substances either in the form of drug abuse or by fuelling a culture of drug taking to deal with a variety of non-medical problems,” the report says.

Unreliable estimates and information as regards actual needs of controlled drugs, coupled with aggressive marketing techniques, improper or even unethical prescription practices together add to a situation of easy availability of psychotropic substances.

Another matter of concern, the INCB points out is that the Internet is becoming a growing source of online trafficking as it seems to provide easy access to controlled drugs.

“On the one hand, Internet prescribing may greatly facilitate access to medical and pharmaceutical services for large segments of society at lower cost, on the other hand, the potential for errors and intentional misuse is considerable,” it says and adds that “substituting direct patient-doctor contact by electronic communication is problematic, particularly concerning the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and prescriptions of controlled drugs.”

The report points out that countries in South Asia have experienced increased drug abuse and have become involved in supplying drugs to be used for illicit purposes, mostly within the region but also in other regions.

The cause of worry is that drug trafficking groups in countries of South Asia have expanded their network of cooperation to include cross-border cooperation and connections with international drug trafficking groups.

“The illicit activities of organised criminal groups have become more varied, involving the cross-border smuggling of drugs, counterfeit money and arms, ammunition and explosives,” it says and adds that “traffickers are exploiting weaknesses or law enforcement systems caused by corruption and lack of human and technical resources.

It says that the abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotrophic substances, in particular codeine-based cough syrups and benzodiazepines, have increased in Bangladesh, India and Nepal.

“The main reason for that increase seems to have been the lack of uniformity in monitoring compliance with prescription requirements. The growing abuse of pharmaceuticals has contributed significantly to the spread of polydrug abuse in South Asia,” it says appealing all governments in the region to establish or strengthen cooperation between pharmaceutical companies and drug regulatory and the law enforcement authorities in order to develop appropriate measures.

Under the head “Treaty adherence”, the report has word appreciation for India. The board notes with appreciation that, in April 2000, the BSF of India and the Bangladesh Rifles signed an agreement on joint efforts against crime, including trafficking of women and children and smuggling of narcotic drugs.

New Delhi, February 21
Seabuckthorn, a multi-utility plant with a genetic resource in India is likely to get long overdue attention. This assurance was given by Mrs Shailaja Chandra, Secretary, Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homoeopathy, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on the opening day of an international workshop on seabuckthorn here yesterday.

Addressing scientists after inaugurating the conference, Mrs Chandra said technologies for popularising seabuckthorn should be developed and collaboration expedited with foreign countries for processing and development of various products. She asked scientists, policy makers and pharmaceutical companies to formulate a national plan on the development of technologies and industrial utilisation of seabuckthorn resources. She expressed the hope that the popularisation of this ‘wonder plant’ would also improve the economic conditions of the farmers.

Mrs Chandra told TNS that seabuckthorn had been found to be particularly effective as an anti-oxidant and drugs developed in Russia and China have been found to be useful in cure of cancer, blood pressure and cardiac problems.

The Agriculture Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Chaudhary Vidyasagar, said domestication of this plant needs to be popularised in cold desert areas. He said this would improve the socio economic status of the people of the region. He said the state government would support a proposal to set up an industry in the State. He said the cold deserts in Himachal and Jammu & Kashmir constitute about 75,000 square kilometre.

Dr P.K. Khosla, Vice-Chancellor, Chaudhary Sarvan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishwavidyalaya said there was a need for coordination, collaboration and partnership with various agencies so that the multi-purpose plant can be exploited for pharamceutical, food processing and cosmetic industry. He said the Union government should set up a national centre on seabuckthorn involving the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the Indian Council for Medical Research and other pharmaceutical industries.

Mr RPS Ratwal, Director-General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, Dehradun said, “Given the economic value of Seabuckthorn, we need to pay adequate attention to research on the plant. We plan to put scientists on the job. seabuckthorn was not on our priority. Its a bush. We have been concentrating our work on tree species. Its other qualities like nitrogen fixation and soil binding should have received attention.”

Jaipur, February 21
Perhaps for the first time in this country, a prisoner has entered into wedlock at Jaipur. Lifer Rajesh married Archna and both performed all rituals at the groom’s home — Sampurnanand Khula Bandi Sudhar Grih — which is part of Jaipur Central Jail.

Rajesh has been serving life term for murder and still has two years to go. In view of his good record in jail he was transferred to Khula Bandi Sudhar Grih (open jail).

In an open jail, the prisoner has a separate home and allowed not only to live with his family but also to pursue his own vocation. He is also allowed to go out of jail without permission but has to be present at the time of roll-call in the morning as well as evening.

When it was roll-call time at 6 p.m. on Monday, Rajesh, too, was present in his wedding attire. After getting his attendance marked, he went back to perform other ceremonies.

Earlier, his marriage procession was taken out and quite a good number of his relatives joined as ‘baratis’. The bride’s father had arranged a feast for over 400 persons in the jail. Archna’s father hopes that his daughter would be happy with this boy. Archna knows that her husband is a convict.

New Delhi, February 21
For a country that boasts of strict labour laws, more than 60,000 workers were affected by closures, retrenchment and layoff during 1998, a survey by the Labour Bureau of the Labour Ministry released here yesterday says.

The highest number of workers were affected by layoff. During the period under review, 294 cases of layoff were reported affecting 45,243 workers resulting in a loss of 2,887,591 man days.

The share of the central sphere in these layoff was about 20 per cent affecting 12,388 workers and a loss of 29,607 man days.

The survey reveals that 175 units were closed during 1998 affecting 13,386 workers. All closures took place in the state sphere while no case of closure was reported in the central sphere. The survey says that of the 175 closures 166 took place in the private sector affecting 10,227 workers. The main reason for closures has been attributed to financial stringency and lack of demand for products.

New Delhi, February 21
The Centre will actively associate reputed international power generation agencies to harness the 15,000 mw hydroelectric potential of Himachal
Pradesh. This was decided at a meeting between the Union Power

He said the Centre had assured the state government the right of 12 per cent free power, and 15 per cent power generation cost would be protected in all future commissioned projects.

Mr Dhumal said the Centre would convene a meeting of chief ministers shortly to settle all pending inter-state disputes regarding power charges.

The Himachal Chief Minister said the work on 9566 mw-capacity projects like Thopan Powari, Rampur, Karchham, Shongtong, Gyspa, Ibra and Kutlehar would be started soon and all these projects would be completed in a time-bound manner.

Mr Dhumal said the Centre had agreed to settle pending monetary claims of state government on various projects in a time-bound manner.

He said the Centre had issued strict instructions to central hydroelectric agencies to prefer local youths in case of employment and any violation would be strictly dealt with.

New Delhi, February 21
Shimla will soon have a district centre to provide comprehensive rehabilitation services to the disabled. The centre is among the 107 proposed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment as per the provisions of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. The ministry had also proposed the setting up of six composite regional centres.

The ministry plans to set up these centres by utilising the existing infrastructure of state medical
colleges, rehabilitation centres, Red Cross Societies and local doctors and experts. The implementing agencies chosen for the task are district rehabilitation centres under the ministry, Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation, Kanpur, the National Institute for Orthopaedically Handicapped, Calcutta, the National Institute for Visually Handicapped, Dehradun, the National Institute of Mentally Handicapped, Secunderabad, the National Institute for Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai, the National Institute of Rehabilitation Research and Training, Bhuvaneshwar and the Institute for Physically Handicapped (IPH), Delhi.

Mr Sharda Ranga, Director of the IPH said the institute was holding negotiations with the district administration for space in a hospital in Shimla. He said the institute had been offered three options for space and infrastructural facilities in Snowdown Hospital. The institute’s nodal officer will visit Shimla in the coming week to finalise space arrangements.

Mr Ranga is hopeful that the centre will start functioning within a fortnight of the approval of the space arrangements. He said the centre would provide facilities for disabled and provide them tricycles, wheel-chairs, artificial limbs, callipers and spinal braces.

Under the
assistance to disabled persons scheme, a person earning less than Rs 5000 per month can get appliances and fitments free of cost. The ministry bears 50 per cent cost of aids and fitments for persons who earn between Rs 5100 to Rs 8000.

Entrusted the task of setting up seven centres, the IPH has set up centres in Patiala, Balia, Udaipur. It plans to set up centres in Ahmedabad, Baroda and Udhampur. The IPH mobile workshop is operating from the Blindmen’s Association, an Ahmedabad-based NGO to provide rehabilitation services to the disabled. Sources in the ministry said over 20 district centres and two composite regional centres have been set up.

New Delhi, February 21
The “Garden of the Orient” is the theme of the 14th Garden Tourism Festival being organised by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development
Corporation. The three-day festival which begins on February 23, will be inaugurated by the Delhi Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dikshit. Visitors will get an opportunity to watch rare varieties of flora on display and buy items of their choice.

The festival provides a platform at the national and international levels for participation in competitions in various categories, including potted plants, hanging baskets, foliage, cactai, succulents, roses, bonsai, cut flowers and vegetable carvings.

New Delhi, February 21
Where did Hrithik Roshan, Bollywood’s current rage, take his first dancing lessons? In the lap of his grandmother. And this did not happen in Mumbai, as many would think, but in Delhi where his father Rakesh Roshan spent a number of years.

The elder Roshan, who is here in connection with Hrithik’s first live show in the Capital on February 23, has fond memories of Delhi and says that he was keen to organise a show in the city. “I was missing something,’’ he said.

Recalling the family’s association with the city, Rakesh Roshan said that his father — famous musician Roshan — was a ‘jaltarang’ player with All India Radio and the family at that time stayed in Patel Nagar. “We still have a lot of relatives here,’’ he said.

Rakesh denied that Hrithik had signed any Hollywood movie. “No, not even for a guest appearance,’’ he said in response to a question. But would Hrithik’s wife Suzanne come into movies, Rakesh was asked. “Not for now, but it is entirely her wish,’’ he said.

Hrithik, who arrived here today, went straight for rehearsals for the show that is to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The organisers are expecting a packed stadium that can accommodate nearly 60,000 people. Hrithik’s earlier show in Kolkata was attended by over a lakh people.

Rakesh, however, clarified that Hrithik would not be holding live shows frequently. “No more live shows this year,’’ he said. Hrithik, who is hard pressed for dates, would concentrate on his acting career, Rakesh said.

The father, who has had phenomenal success with
Kaho Na Pyar Hai bagging a large haul of awards at this year’s Filmfare function, has already planned the next movie with his son and it may be completed in a year. Rakesh said that he would not be deterred by threats and would go on with his work. “I would do my work and leave the rest to God,’’

Apart from the father-son duo, the show will feature Namrata Shirodkar, Amisha Patel, Udit Narayan, Babul Suprio, Alka Yagnik, Rajesh Roshan and Pamela Jain. Special attention has been paid to technical brilliance, the organisers said.

The show, which was scheduled to be held earlier this month, was postponed due to the Gujarat earthquake. Though the organisers did not disclose what sum they had contributed to the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, they indicated that it was larger than the earlier announced figure of Rs 40 lakh. “We contributed the sum in Mumbai earlier as we did not want to wait till February 23,’’ an orgainser said.

Agra, February
21
Chhatrapati Shivaji has “resurfaced” in the historical Agra Fort, more than three centuries after he undertook one of the most daring escapades during the Mughal rule. An imposing statue of the Maratha ruler today stands tall in front of the fort’s Amar Singh Gate, through which the ostentatious processions of Aurangzeb and his successors passed during the Mughal rule in India.

The statue, standing with the characteristic horse-mounted posture of the Maratha monarch, epitomises the period which was marked by confrontations between Mughal and Maratha rulers.

Unveiling the statue, Union Home Minister
L.K. Advani said: “A fearless and firm leader like Shivaji should be our role model.”

Such visits by children from Jammu and Kashmir to different parts of the country are being regularly sponsored by the BSF to instill in them a sense of belonging to the nation and to let them know the developments in the economic, social, political and technological fields, besides acquainting them with the cultural ethos of the country.

New Delhi, February 21
Monohar (80), alias Baba, and his two accomplices were arrested for allegedly blackmailing a minor girl in the Anandparbat area of North Delhi here yesterday.

The accomplices of Baba were identified as Baggi Lal and Sanjay. Baba and his men were arrested following a letter sent by the girl to her parents, the police said.

NATIONAL BRIEFS

RSS to build 25 Kutch
villagesAHMEDABAD: The RSS will rehabilitate 25 villages in quake-ravaged Kutch by reconstructing houses, temples, mosques, churches, and other places of worship, a senior RSS official has said. Secretary Pravinbhai Maniar of the state unit said here on Tuesday that each village would be rehabilitated at an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore. Of this, half the amount would be funded by the Gujarat Government, he said.
UNI

Devotees throng Aurobindo
ashramPONDICHERRY: Scores of devotees from all over the country and abroad thronged Sri Aurobindo Ashram here on Wednesday on the occasion of the 123rd birth anniversary of the Mother (the philosopher’s wife). A mass meditation was organised to mark the occasion. The room used by the Mother has been thrown open for public ‘darshan’ since Tuesday.
UNI

21 peacocks die of infectionJAIPUR: At least 21 peacocks were found dead in Sikar district following a bacterial infection, forest officials said on Wednesday. The carcasses of 11 peacocks were found from Khirod village and 10 from Kudan village in the district during the past 24 hours, they said. The infection was afflicting other birds also, experts working with the Rajasthan Agricultural University said.
PTI

Pilgrims take
dip in KrishnaMACHILIPATNAM: About four lakh pilgrims took dip at various places in the river Krishna early on Wednesday on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. They later worshipped Lord Shiva at the temples at Elluru, Pedakaleepalli, Shivaganga, Balivi and Muthyala, besides the Manginapudi beach and Bhogeswaram.
UNI

Govt denies
suicide by farmersJAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government on Wednesday denied that three farmers had committed suicide in Sikar district following a crash in the prices of produce. An official spokesman said a team of four senior officials, led by the District Collector, was sent to Rashidpur village in the district for enquiring into the reported suicides. However, the team found that the allegation was “absolutely wrong”, he added.
PTI

Undertrial
hacked to deathHYDERABAD: An undertrial of the Chenchalguda central prison here was hacked to death on Tuesday, the police said on Wednesday. It said Attaf Husain Junaidi was being taken to the prison in an autorickshaw by two policemen after attending a local criminal court in connection with a murder case, when unidentified assailants attacked him with swords and knives. The two policemen run away fearing an attack on them, the police said, Junaidi was allegedly involved in the murder of Sheik Basheerudin, a local Majlis party activist.
PTI

7 killed as
jeep, truck collideJAIPUR: Seven persons were killed in a collision between a jeep and a truck at Jalampura village in Chittorgarh district in Rajasthan early on Wednesday, the police said. The deceased hailed from Chanderia village near Chittorgarh.
UNI

HANUMANGARH
SALTPETER PRESENCE: The presence of the saltpeter (potassium nitrate) in the drinking water has made many people sick. The Public Health and Engineering Department are ignorant about its presence. According to doctors, consumption of saltpeter could lead to joint pains